Quick Read
- South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs issued over 4 million Smart ID cards in 2025, a national record.
- This represents a 17% increase from 2024 and is part of a plan to phase out fraud-prone green ID books.
- Smart IDs are significantly more secure, estimated to be 500% less vulnerable to fraud.
- A new partnership will allow Smart ID applications at 100 additional bank branches by March 2026.
- The DHA aims to replace all 16 million green ID books by late 2028 and introduce a digital ID by 2029.
JOHANNESBURG (Azat TV) – South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) achieved a national record in 2025, issuing over 4 million Smart ID cards, a significant leap forward in the country’s efforts to replace its fraud-prone green bar-coded ID books. This milestone represents a 17% increase over the previous year’s figures and is a cornerstone of the government’s digital transformation agenda, aimed at enhancing security and expanding access to essential services for millions of South Africans.
The unprecedented rollout underscores a concerted push by the Government of National Unity to modernize public services. Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber and his spokesperson, Carli Van Wyk, highlighted that this achievement reflects focused investments in technology upgrades and improved efficiencies at both the Department of Home Affairs and the Government Printing Works, the entity responsible for producing the Smart IDs.
Smart ID Rollout Hits Record Pace
In 2025, the DHA delivered 4,000,000 Smart ID cards, surpassing the 3,427,468 issued in 2024, which was a record at the time. This latest performance is approximately 1.3 million more than the combined total issued during the 2022 and 2023 calendar years, according to The Star. The accelerated pace is vital for the department’s Medium-Term Development Plan, which aims to phase out the older green ID books.
Carli Van Wyk emphasized that the green bar-coded ID book has become highly vulnerable to fraud, estimating it to be 500% more at risk than the new Smart ID card. Minister Schreiber echoed this, stating that Smart IDs are ‘vastly more secure than the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book,’ enabling millions more people to securely open bank accounts, access employment, and obtain social grants in 2025 alone.
Accelerating the Phase-Out of Green ID Books
The record issuance brings South Africa closer to its goal of completely replacing the estimated 16 million green ID books still in circulation. With the Government Printing Works capable of producing up to five million Smart ID cards annually, it is projected that the last of the green ID books could be replaced by the end of 2028, with the ultimate discontinuation of the document targeted for 2030. This process is also paving the way for a digital ID system, which the DHA aims to have in place by the 2029 general elections, according to MyBroadband and BusinessTech.
A critical component of this acceleration is the new digital partnership model with South African banks. This initiative, dubbed ‘Home Affairs @ Home,’ is set to expand significantly. The department and its partner banks are on track to add another 100 bank branches nationwide by the end of March 2026, where citizens can apply for Smart ID cards. This expansion aims to bring essential services closer to communities and will eventually allow applicants to obtain Smart IDs without needing to be existing clients of the bank.
Digital Transformation and Enhanced Security
A key factor enabling the ramp-up in Smart ID issuance has been the upgrade to the country’s Online Verification Service (OVS). This system, which Minister Schreiber noted was previously underfunded and misused, has seen increased reliability and performance following significant investment. The DHA also increased OVS verification fees from R0.15 to R10, with a bulk offline fee of R1, a move that has not been without controversy.
A lobby group representing South Africa’s largest telecommunications network operators has initiated legal proceedings against Home Affairs over these increased fees. However, Minister Schreiber has welcomed the legal challenge, viewing it as an opportunity to expose how some businesses allegedly abused the system, even creating intermediaries to on-sell data at a premium while claiming the OVS was unreliable, BusinessTech reported.
Overcoming Operational Hurdles
Despite the national improvements and record-breaking figures, many South Africans continue to experience challenges at local Home Affairs offices. Reports from October 2025 by IOL indicated that visitors to branches in Cape Town frequently faced hours-long queues, difficulties in booking appointments, and system downtime. Some applicants recounted waiting for hours even after using the online portal, while others felt compelled to arrive before sunrise to secure assistance.
The department acknowledges these operational delays even as it celebrates its broader successes. The ongoing efforts to integrate services with the banking sector and improve digital infrastructure are intended to alleviate these bottlenecks and ensure that the expanded access to Smart IDs translates into a smoother, more efficient experience for all citizens.
The record issuance of Smart ID cards in 2025 marks a tangible step towards South Africa’s digital transformation goals and its commitment to combating identity fraud. While the strategic partnerships and technological upgrades are clearly yielding results at a national level, the persistent operational challenges at local offices underscore the complex reality of implementing large-scale public service reforms, highlighting that equitable access and efficiency remain critical areas for continuous improvement.